Written Answers Nos. 134-142
134. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the staffing in place to support implementation of the revised Stay Safe programme; and if there is a dedicated national co-ordinator in place. [27635/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) has responsibility for supporting the implementation of the revised Stay Safe Programme. The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework which PDST has developed in this regard includes support for the revised Walk Tall materials for primary schools. PDST has a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team with appropriate management structures and supports in place for the team. PDST is currently recruiting additional primary advisors for the Health and Wellbeing team.
I am satisfied that the resources available to PDST are adequate to implement the CPD Framework of support for the revised Stay Safe Programme. This Framework has been approved by my Department.
135. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a single dedicated national co-ordinator in place to oversee implementation of all child protection requirements for schools. [27636/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Children and Youth Affairs has overall responsibility for developing the State’s policy and legislative framework in relation to child welfare and protection. A central element of this framework is the Children First – National Guidance published originally by that Department in 1999 and updated in 2011. The Children First Guidance operates as the over-arching national guidelines for all individuals and agencies that come into contact with children.
The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing Children First. In that regard, in autumn 2011, my Department published updated Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools based on the revised Children First. The procedures apply to all recognised schools.
The purpose of these procedures is to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in the implementation of Children First when dealing with allegations/suspicions of child abuse and neglect. In relation to implementation of Children First, the 2011 procedures for schools incorporated significant improvements to the previous school guidelines, including strengthening the local oversight arrangements, all of which are intended to better ensure consistent and uniform implementation of Children First across all schools. The improvements include a new template child protection policy, a requirement that all primary schools fully implement the Stay Safe programme and improved oversight arrangements at Board of Management level.
The Whole School Evaluation (WSE) inspection process by my Department’s Inspectorate also incorporates an assessment of a school’s compliance with my Department’s requirements under the child protection procedures.
At national level, my Department participates in a Children First inter-Departmental Committee, chaired by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the role of which is to oversee the implementation of Children First across all Government Departments.
The Deputy will be aware that the Children First Act 2015 will, when fully commenced by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, put elements of the Children First- National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011) on a statutory footing. The Act provides for a number of key child protection measures such as a requirement on organisations providing services to children to keep children safe and to produce a Child Safeguarding Statement; a requirement on defined categories of persons (mandated persons) to report child protection concerns over a defined threshold to the Child and Family Agency and a requirement on mandated persons to assist the Agency in the assessment of a child protection risk, if requested to do so by the Agency. Under the Act, the Children First Interdepartmental Implementation Group has also been put on a statutory footing.
Work is currently underway in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in relation to publishing an updated Children First to reflect the Act’s requirements. The commencement of the 2015 Act and the publication of a new Children First will necessitate changes to the existing procedures for schools. In preparation for the forthcoming changes, my Department has recently commenced a review of the existing procedures for schools in consultation with the relevant education partners.
136. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend the period of secondment to PDST and other support services to ensure that the services retain experienced staff to provide the highest quality support for schools and to support the implementation of the new Action Plan for Education. [27637/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, through the teacher support services and education centres, engages teachers on a full time basis annually for the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) through secondment from their schools. These secondments are subject to annual review. The arrangements provide flexibility and ensure that the in-service needs of teachers and other support priorities of the school system can be met within the resources available.
Having teachers with relevant and recent teaching experience and expertise is a key requirement for the role. It is a condition therefore that the maximum length of time that a teacher may be on secondment is five years, following which they return to their teaching roles within their schools. Returning to the teaching role is always planned and is seen as one of the strengths of the policy and in this way, their expertise and knowledge is not lost to the system. These teacher secondment arrangements were disseminated extensively so the necessary planning could take place at all levels including education centres, support services, school boards of management and individual teacher.
It is Department policy to extend a secondment in certain limited situations, for example, where a seconded teacher is engaged in a leadership role, has a specialism or expertise where retention is necessary for continuity, quality planning and management. The implementation of this policy is a matter for the services concerned and the relevant section of my Department.
137. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the number of women entering apprenticeships. [27638/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to be registered as an apprentice by SOLAS, a person must be employed by an approved employer in one of the 27 trades. Recruitment to apprenticeship is therefore driven by employers rather than by SOLAS or by education and training providers. The 2014 Review of Apprenticeship in Ireland acknowledged that the number of women employed in craft apprenticeships is low as this has been traditionally a male dominated sector. As an incentive to employers, a bursary is available to encourage women to take up apprenticeships. The bursary provides a total grant of €2,667 to each employer for each female apprentice recruited. The grant is intended as a contribution towards wage and other apprentice costs over the first 28 weeks of phases 1 and 3. Despite the availability of the bursary the number of female apprentices remains low.
Currently the Apprenticeship Council is overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new areas, following a call for proposals from employers and education and training providers. 25 proposals have been prioritised by the Council for development. The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship was launched earlier this month with further new apprenticeships to be launched later this year and early next year.
Many of these new apprenticeships are in sectors where there is a different gender balance in the workplace and thus will lead to a natural increase in female participation when these new apprenticeships are launched in the coming months.
Accompanying the renewal and expansion of apprenticeship in Ireland will be a new branding and marketing campaign. SOLAS will examine how this campaign can assist with promoting apprenticeship to women and to their potential employers.
138. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is taking to ensure that non-union teachers are not being affected by industrial action carried out by their colleagues that are union members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27741/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs is the norm with public service collective agreements, the Lansdowne Road Agreement was negotiated with trade unions which are recognised as representing staff in the public service (including teachers). It is normal practice in the public service that the decision of the trade union recognised as holding representative rights for a particular grade or sector will determine the position for all relevant staff in that grade/sector. This context does not allow for acceptance or rejection of collective agreements by staff on an individual basis.
139. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will extend the period of time for slurry spreading for a time of at least 30 days due to the adverse weather conditions experienced in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27589/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Nitrates Directive and Ireland's National Nitrates Action Programme are given legal effect by the consolidated European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2014, as amended. The objective of the Regulations is to protect ground and surface waters, including drinking water sources, primarily through the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers.
Good agricultural practice involves the land spreading of organic fertilisers as early as practicable in the growing season in order to maximise the uptake of nutrients by crops and to minimise pollution risks to water courses and groundwaters. In accordance with the requirements of the Nitrates Directive, the Regulations include provisions regarding periods when the land application of certain types of fertilisers is prohibited. In addition, the Regulations prohibit such application at any time of the year when the ground is frozen, waterlogged or heavy rain is forecast.
Specified closed periods for the spreading of fertilisers, including slurry, are a key aspect of the Nitrates Regulations. They are a requirement of the Nitrates Directive and are mandatory in every Member State. The closed periods in Ireland were decided following extensive consultation and were discussed with farming bodies and the European Commission when Ireland’s Nitrates Action Programme was being introduced. I have no plans at present to extend the spreading periods for organic fertilisers in 2016. The Programme will be reviewed again in 2017.
140. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government , further to Parliamentary Question No. 277 of 8 June 2016, if he is considering any changes to the high motor tax burden placed on the owners of private vehicles registered before 1 July 2008; the average motor tax per pre-July 2008 vehicle is €545 and the average motor tax per post-July 2008 vehicle is €307; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27731/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra141. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the cost of a 10% reduction and separately a 20% reduction in motor tax for all private vehicles registered before 1 July 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27732/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra142. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the cost of a 10% reduction and, separately, a 20% reduction in motor tax for all private vehicles registered before 1 July 2008 with an engine size of not greater than 2,000 cc; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27733/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 140 to 142, inclusive, together.
Changes to motor tax rates are generally considered in the context of the national budgetary process and, therefore, it would not be appropriate to comment further on possible changes to motor tax rates at this time.
The estimated current annual cost of a 10% reduction in motor tax rates for private vehicles registered prior to 1 July 2008 is €56.5m. The estimated annual cost of a 20% reduction is €111.9m. The estimated current annual cost of a 10% reduction in motor tax rates for private vehicles registered prior to 1 July 2008 and with an engine size not greater than 2,000 cc is €49.7m. The estimated annual cost of a 20% reduction is €98.3m. These estimates are based on the assumption that current turnover rates of vehicles and patterns of motor tax payments remain unchanged.
